Wind Up
by noisedrifter
Summary: In old, dirty London, Maka, a castaway wind-up doll, stays on the sidewalk, watching people go by. That, however, changes when a young boy with notable white hair and flashing deep red eyes decides to take her home. AU - SoMa (For all update information on the story and important news in general, go to my profile and look under my News section. Thank you!)
1. Chapter 1: A Filthy Thing and Time

In my forty-sixth year, in London, on Oxford Street, I am watching pedestrians walk by without even paying me a glance. Of course I don't blame them because first of all, I am tiny. Second, I am a dirty thing. And thirdly, I'm not even alive. At least, that's what these giants think. Involuntarily, I continue to stare their feet down.

Fancy Italian shoes.

Shoes needing a good rub.

And no shoes. Just feet covered in dirt and wet with filth.

I've observed many people, but no one ever turns my way. Well, like I've said, I'm tiny, dirty, and… Actually, it'd be politically inaccurate if I said "dead." I think "inanimate" is a much better description.

Having gotten lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice the pair of shoes that had stopped in front of me. Unfortunately, I could do nothing but stare at the shiny dark brown loafers. Since they're a new sort of shoe, I've never really seen a pair of loafers. By the size of them, the owner must be a little boy. Oh dear, I must really be getting bored and old if I can tell one's appearance by their shoes.

Then suddenly, the owner of the shoes spoke.

"Mum! Mum!" a little boy called out.

"Yes, dear?" I glanced over and noticed a nice set of red stilettos next to the small loafers. It looked as if the owner of the stilettos was walking until the boy with loafers stopped her.

"Mum," the boy said in a whining tone, "I want her."

Did he mean me?

The lady in stilettos chuckled, "But dear, that one is so filthy. Come, Daddy and I will get you something much nicer at the toy shop."

But just as I thought they were going to walk away, I heard the boy wail, "No, I want that one!" He does mean me.

"Fine," she sighed.

At that moment, my life took an uplifting turn of events.


	2. Chapter 2: A Home and the Furnace

As the little boy grabbed me from my post and held me close to his chest, I found myself looking up into a pair of big, rich, deep red eyes, which held wonderment and excitement as they watched me, and snow white hair that fluffed up in all sorts of directions. What a peculiar appearance.

"Mum," the boy said as he tugged on his mother's silky fur coat sleeve.

Sighing, the lady, probably his mother, groaned a little but said sweetly, "Soul, dearest, if you're going to touch me, you need to wipe your hands and put down that dirty doll."

Soul. So that's the name of my benefactor. Just as he has a peculiar appearance, so he has a peculiar name.

"Mum, I think Maka needs a wiping and fixing."

His mother turned towards him. "Maka?"

"Yes." Soul held me up in front of her face. "Her name is Maka Albarn."

My heart, if such things like me could have one, swelled, and if I could do such a thing, my eyes watered. These are just emotions I've watched humans express; it is not like I could do them as well. However, these things came to me when I heard the mention of my new name. Too much time has passed for me to remember my first name.

First looking a bit stunned, his mother laughed a bit and ruffled her son's hair. "Sure. We'll get someone to fix her up."

He raised his brow. "And cleaned? And get her new clothes?"

"Clothes? That's not what you said first," his mother mused.

Soul pouted. "Well, now I think she needs a new dress since she's going to be cleaned up. That ragged piece of cloth isn't doing well for her."

"Yes, dear. Now, come along. Your father and Wesley must be expecting us now."

As Soul carried me close, we entered a large mansion surrounded by neatly trimmed bushes and neatly arranged white and red flowers, the colors reminding me of my new owner. In front of the mansion was a well-sized fountain with a three intertwined cherubs spouting water and a lady with a flowing dress and wings in the center of it. Walking into the mansion itself, Soul stepped into a spacious foyer. The floor consisted of white marble tiles, and from the ceiling hung a huge chandelier. A flight of stairs branching off into two other flights of stairs was in front of us. Two waiting tables each with two chairs stood off in opposite sides, and extravagant paintings of the family and portraits of its members hung on various walls. Then, to the far left wall, a plain family photo that was framed rather simply was hung.

"Annette!" I noticed a man who held a clear resemblance to Soul walking towards us very quickly. At the sight of him, Soul took to hiding behind his mother.

"Dear," Soul's mother whose name was probably Annette said.

"Annette, where have you been?" the man demanded.

"Well-" His mother began to say, but the man cut her off.

"Where's Soul?"

Hesitating, she said, "He is…"

Suddenly, Soul stepped forward with me in his hands. "I'm here, father." A slight tremor possessed his body, but the boy stood his ground.

"Soul." His father began in a frustrated tone, but he took a breath and began again in a somewhat kinder but also firm voice. "Soul, I need to know when you are going to have your recital. You have been practicing, yes?"

He looked away. "Yes, father. I have been practicing."

Clenching his jaw, his father said, "What is with that response?" But Soul paid him no reply. "Well, fine. Just when are you having your recital?" Soul then mumbled incoherent, which only intensified his father's rage. "_What_ was that?"

Quietly but irritably, Soul replied, "I don't want a recital."

"What?"

Then he looked up with a silent fire kindling within him, "Father, I don't want a recital. Just have Wes do my recital for me." While he said that name Wes, Soul might as well have been spitting poison.

Frowning angrily, his father said, "Believe me. If Wes wasn't so busy already, I would definitely have him take your place."

"James!" his mother cried.

But Soul's father didn't acknowledge her. He stared only into his boy's shocked expression. "Go up to your room," he said as he turned away. "And throw that wretched doll in your hands into the furnace. It's an eyesore."

The comment stung but I was used to words like those. What scared me was his command. Was this supposed to be my new home? I have barely been here for half a day. Would my new owner do it?

But Soul held me only tighter as he took the stairs to his room.

When we reached his room, I saw his bed, orderly made, which had black and white sheets and a red canopy. A stuffed blue dog with a yellow star patched under his eye rested on his window, a ceramic ballerina on a pedestal, and two rag dolls with blonde hair rested on his large window sill. Red walls held the contents of his room. However, the most noticeable objects in the room was a black grand piano and the sheet music strewn about it.

Soul sat down on his bed and set me on his lap. He stroked my stained blonde pig tails and my back. "You are a dirty thing…" he chuckled. "But it's okay. Mum promised that she would get you cleaned up."

I could only stare back at him with my question still hanging in the air: he says this, but is he really going to throw me into a fire?

But as if he had read my mind, Soul said with a sour look, "I'm not throwing you into the fire. Father just doesn't understand. He doesn't understand…" He trailed off, but I heard his last word just very faintly.

Me.


	3. Chapter 3: Clean Renewal and Sour Melody

Soon, I came to learn more about my new owner and his life. His name was Soul "Eater" Evans, and though he normally went by those two strange nicknames, no one ever used his real name. My hunch is that "Soul" and sometimes "Soul Eater" were used so often that people have already forgotten his real name. Even his parents called me by Soul, which I find peculiar.

And speaking of his family, I learned very well that Soul did not like his brother very much. Wes came in the room now and again to ask something of Soul, tell him something briefly, or pass him a command ordered by their parents. At the mention or sight of him, Soul seemed to bristle like a defensive porcupine and he became silent. When he did speak around Wes, the words were scarce. Besides Wes, his father was a figure Soul also wanted to avoid. It appeared that Mr. Evans held a favoritism over his older son and often reminded Soul of his older brother's greatness. Meanwhile, his mother held her youngest boy to her bosom but did not protect him from her husband's harsh words.

Eventually, I got cleaned up by a smith of some sort. The missing parts in my ceramic body were now filled with the cracks smoothed over. My dirty blonde hair, once so filthy that one would think I was a brunette, was now put up in pigtails, being held in place by red bows. Given a shine, my green eyes sparkled once again, and my ragged dress worn away by time was replaced with a red dress with black buttons and a white collar.

"Here you go, boy," the smith said, "Good as new."

As I was returned to Soul's arms, I saw the giddiness in his eyes. How long had it been since I've seen a child's face have an excited expression because of me? Too long has the time been, and earning one now from this boy warms my heart. I wish I could have smiled back.

"Thank you, sir!" Soul said happily as he held me close.

"Now be careful. That lady there is pretty fragile."

Soul nodded and smiled. "I'll take good care of her."

While he walked back to the mansion with me in tow, he felt something jutting out of my back. "Huh? What's this?" Turning me over, he saw my small silver windup key. "What does this do?" And he twisted it, letting out my recorded sound.

Inside my body, I held such a complex melody. Whoever made my record let it be lively and sweetly like the first scent of spring in a forest, but towards the end, the sound tapered, little by little, into a dark and quiet noise. As the noise became quieter and quieter, a single pitch fluttered upward like a firefly reaching the exit of a dark chasm.

I suppose my owner felt the same way since I started to feel warm drops of wetness on my new dress. At first, I became concerned and started to think about where my new home would be. But, although wordlessly, Soul brought me to the mansion, up to his room, and to my shelf. He did not look at me during the whole trip, but Soul held me close as the first time he found me.


	4. Chapter 4: Sneezes and New Companions

Eventually, the temperature shifted from a somewhat bearable chill to a shivering freeze. As a result, Soul caught a bit of a cold, which made him sneeze constantly. Of course, it was a source of worry for the family, but the family physician whom I came to know as Dr. Stein told the concerned party that the boy should be fine; he need only to sleep, relax, and take his medicine.

And so, while Soul slept soundly in his bed, something incredible happened. Sitting as I always did on the window sill along with his other toys, I heard several voices while the room was clearly empty.

"It's time we say hi to her," a boy announced.

"But Soul is still sleeping," hissed a girl. "What if he discovers that we can-"

"If you don't want him to find out, then just stop talking," another girl said in an annoyed tone.

"Yeah, just stop it!" giggled a younger girl's voice.

Then the voices all started bickering until I came out with, "Um, excuse me."

Suddenly, unbelievably, I realized that the voices came from the direction of the other toys.

"What?" said the younger girl whose voice came from the smaller rag doll.

"Hi there! What's your name?" the boy asked eagerly. His voice came from the blue dog with the yellow star on the eye.

"Black Star, you're too direct! And introduce yourself first!" cried another girl, or rather the ballerina.

"Guys, just shut up. Can't we just be quiet? I'm getting a headache," the larger rag doll groaned.

In shock that they and even I could speak, I said quietly, "Maka." A silence ensued and I could feel the toys' eyes on me. Feeling a "cough" come out, I said with more volume, "Maka Albarn."

"Whoa, what a weird name," the stuffed dog said.

A sigh came from the ballerina as she said, "Don't be rude." Her tone sweetened as she replied to me, "It's a nice name."

"Thank you," I said and then added. "Soul gave it to me."

"He needs help in the naming department…" mumbled the dog.

"Black Star!" the ballerina said sharply.

The smaller rag doll laughed as the bigger one, chuckling, added, "Let's start the introductions already."

"Oh, right! Thank you!" the ballerina chirped. "Okay, Maka, I'm Tsubaki. Nice to meet you." Then incredibly, the ballerina stepped off of her pedestal and motioned the dog. "And this mouthy friend of ours is Black Star."

Black Star appeared to be rolling his eyes. "Like I said, the kid needs help with names. What is he going to do when he has a child of his own? My star isn't even black! It's yellow! I think he should have named me Shining Star."

"Shut up, Black Star!" The big rag doll yelled as she got herself up. "Anyway, I go by Liz, but Soul named me Elizabeth. This little doll her is my younger sister Patty, but Soul named her Patricia."

"That's me!" Patty giggled as she raised up her hand.

Throughout the introductions, I could only stare from one toy to the other. How could this even happen? During my long years of watching people on the streets, never have I been with toys that could speak. I had to quench my curiosity.

"Excuse me," I butted in, interrupting their chatter and bickering. "Excuse me, but how can we talk? Is this something natural?"

Another quiet followed until Black Star burst in laughter and walked towards me on his four legs from his side of the window sill. "Oh, Maka. Of course it's natural. We talk all the time, so how can it not be natural? As for why…" He trailed off as he glanced over at Tsubaki.

But the ballerina shrugged. "I don't know."

"Huh?" Surprised, Black Star questioned, "What do you mean?"

"None of us know," Liz said. "Tsubaki doesn't know, I don't know, you don't know." Then she looked at her sister who was dancing around and humming. "Patty definitely doesn't know."

"Oh… I see," I replied.

Deciding to change the subject, Tsubaki hopped off her pedestal and tiptoed on her ballet shoes towards her, saying, "What's your story, Maka?"

"Huh?"

Tsubaki then sat next to me and said, "You know, your life, how's it been, and why you're here."

"Oh…"

And I proceeded to tell the toys how I've sat on the streets for many years and suddenly, this boy with white hair and shocking red eyes scooped me up into his arms, despite my filthiness and shabby appearance. "But I don't know who my original owner was. He must have made me because I have no recollection of being made in a factory."

"Wow… That's such a sad story," Tsubaki said, her eyes holding concern.

"Ugh, I hate those kinds of people who just throw away a good toy. What a bastard!" Liz kicked over a small pillow.

Black Star stayed quiet for a while until he finally said, "Well, you're here now and that's all that matters, right?"

"Yeah!" Patty jumped off of the window sill and threw the pillow back on, climbing back up on the curtain.

I smiled. "Yeah."


	5. Chapter 5: The Recital and Salty Tears

"Ugh, I can't take it anymore!" Soul exclaimed, throwing his sheet music in the air. Bringing his hands down on the keys, he created a chaotic cluster of notes. "Why can't they have Wes perform along? Everyone knows he's better than me."

After Soul's 10th birthday, his parents decided to schedule his recital two days from then. As a result, Soul had only the night before the recital to make the finishing touches on his performance. Over the last few hours, the floor became littered with scratched-out sheet music.

I watched sadly since I couldn't do anything to make his situation better. As months passed between us, my fondness for the young boy grew. When I first came to his household, he carried me around and sometimes brought me to his bed to cuddle with at night. Unfortunately, his father caught him taking me outside and yelled, "Soul, do I need to throw that thing away or are you going to?" Now Soul kept me close on his nightstand and made sure I was out of his father's line of view.

After he had his fit, Soul looked at me, and eventually, he looked away. "Yes," he murmured. "I can use this." He sat back on the bench and began composing once more.

On the day of his recital, Soul spent his morning preparing his appearance. His mother took him to a barber to have a trim and hopefully tame that spiky look, yet the spikes remained unperturbed. Next, his mother picked out a new suit for him, which was black with pinstripes. At the request of Soul, he had a collar, button-down red shirt and a black tie.

In the evening, by the time Soul was done dressing up, his mother exclaimed, "That's my handsome boy."

She smoothed his coat sleeves over and over again until Soul complained, "Mom, stop!" Surprisingly, he grabbed me and held me close.

"Soul, what are you doing?" his mother inquired.

"Maka's coming with me."

But his mother shook her head and smoothed his hair. "No, she needs to stay here with the other toys."

Soul swatted her hand away, yelling, "But I want her to see my performance! She's more of an audience than any of these fat cats!"

She gasped and said, "Soul! Where did you learn that?"

"From Wes," he said snidely. "She's coming with me."

His mother kept silent and then replied, "Just don't let your father see. You know he'll be upset."

"I don't give a damn."

"Soul!"

"Wes said that first! Yell at him before you yell at me!" Soul stomped away with me in tow.

Climbing into the carriage, Soul waited until his mother came. The ride to the concert hall was a long one.

When Soul and his mother stepped into his dressing room, the audience already filled up the seats. From the backstage, Soul listened to the distant murmurs and glanced at the people from a crack in between the curtains. While his mother fixed his tie, his father walked quickly toward him.

"Where have you been?" His father hissed.

He clenched his sharp teeth and replied, "I was busy."

Tightening his hand into a fist, his father whispered, "Whatever. Just…do your best." He turned away but then tossed his head back at him. "Wes is going before you. You're lucky you weren't put first and you became late like you did." Then Soul's father made his way out of Soul's view, and when he was out of sight, the younger Evans brother tightened his own hands into fists.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen," Soul's father addressed the audience as he stood on the stage. "Thank you for coming to the annual Evans Recital. However, it is decided this year that we, James and Annette Evans, are not starring in this recital. Instead, our sons, Wes and…Soul Evans, are going to carry the show by themselves. Despite this change in the usual program, please enjoy."

During the applause, Soul carried me against him and held me tight, and while he did, I felt a repetitive beat bumping against me. Is this what humans call a "heart beat?" Then Soul's father announced the performance of Wes Evans. I have to say that Wes played very well. Extremely well. I felt as if I was his bow with resin, sliding against the strings. Some sort of chill tickled my insides. But then, I felt Soul tremble. His repetitive beat became faster, and his grip on me tightened.

At the end of the performance, Wes passed Soul and patted his shoulder, making Soul flinch. "Break a leg, Soul." His older brother smiled.

As Soul dismissed him without a response and made his way across the stage, he muttered, "Believe me. If I could, I would. Then I'd be at home, away from this."

Walking to his bench, he didn't even wait for his father's introduction to finish. He had also brought me along, so he set me up on the top of the piano. Although his father was still talking, he began.

Wes still seemed amazing in comparison to Soul, but as Soul played, my "heart" felt tied up in sharp strings. Despair and gloom mingled in the piece with lighter melancholy, but underlying all of the sadness lay a sweeter but bitter taste. Then, towards the end, I realized the sound of his piece: it was the melody that played when he turned my windup key.

As Soul got up from his piano bench, no one made a sound. No applause roared as I had expected nor any booing or hissing took place. A silent spell seemed to have been casted over the audience by Soul's composition.

"A-and that was Soul Evans!" his father stammered. "Okay, thank you for coming."

And suddenly, Soul grabbed me up and ran to the exit of the concert hall in the backstage.

"Huh?! W-wait! Wait, Soul!" his mother cried.

Panting, Soul dashed through the beginning snow fall as he carried me close as he always did. His breath came out as visible puffs of air in the cold. "I don't care," he started quietly. Then his voice became louder. "I don't care! I don't care!"

Then he slipped but made sure in time that he landed on his back so that I didn't break. He huffed and hugged me tight. Saying to me or maybe no one in particular, he yelled, "I don't care what anyone thinks! I love that melody!"

As he sat up, I felt warm wet drops falling on my tin skin and fake hair. Not once did he let me go.


	6. Chapter 6: A Fiance and A Deep Chasm

"Soul! Wake up! You have an important meeting to attend today. Crona has already prepared breakfast for you. It is laid out, nice and hot," his mother called.

He groaned and sat up. "Yeah, I'm coming! Keep your panties on…"

"I heard that!"

Grumbling, he pulled off the covers and got out of bed. Still, from the window sill where I have always stayed, I watched Soul stretch his now broad shoulders. The young boy who had always held me close had become a man who just let me sit like an decoration to his room. Though he had become rough around the edges these past six years, I have grown to admire him. My only sadness lie in the fact that he came to me seldom.

After Soul changed into proper clothes, he yelled to his mother, "Why do I have to be at this 'important' meeting? Whatever you have to tell me, can't you tell me in my room?" But looking up to his doorway, he froze.

A lady with short, light brunette hair and hazel eyes stood there, smirking. "Well, well, Soul. A late bird in the morning catches no worm."

"What do you want, Medusa?" Soul asked, clenching his jaw.

I had only seen Medusa once at a formal party. Soul, if I remember, was twelve at the time, and he still carried me around. If what I remember is correct, Medusa met him for the first time, and at this meeting, she taunted him for carrying a "girly doll" wherever he went. Since then, their encounters haven't been pleasant, and their relationship seemed to get worse every time.

At the corner of Medusa's eye, I caught her gaze. Walking towards me, she patted my head roughly and laughed, "You still have this toy? Aren't you a man now?"

"Shut up! What do you want, I said!" Soul roared, snatching me away and keeping me close like he once did.

"Ah," Medusa said, wiping her hands on her dress. "It's quite dusty. You should know to take care of your toys if you're going to keep them."

"You haven't answered my damn question, woman!"

Then she grinned darkly. "That's no way to talk to your fiancé."

Feeling a drop of his arms, I feared that he was going to drop me. I looked at his face and saw a dropped jaw of shock.

"W-what?"

Medusa scoffed, "You are a slow one, Mr. Eater." And the sly lady sauntered off to exit, but at the doorway, she looked back and said, "That's all they wanted to discuss. You can go do whatever you want, like playing with your dolls."

Swelling with rage, Soul yelled, "Get! Out!"

"Toodle-loo!" she sang as she hightailed it.

When she was gone, Soul walked quickly over to his door and slammed it. He slid his back against the closed door, moaning. For some reason, a sadness came over me. I barely see Soul nowadays, what with him going to school, meeting with friends, and performing his familial duties. If he went through the marriage, maybe I wouldn't get to see him at all. My "heart" wrenched at the thought, and thinking about it made me feel as ill as a doll could even be.

Soul made it to his bed and flopped on it, and then lightly, a knock came at the door.

"Medusa, if that's you, leave now. If it's not Medusa, the door's unlocked," Soul said, muffled under his pillow.

The door opened and a young man's voice called out, "Soul, it's Kid."

Several years ago, at the same party that Soul met Medusa, Soul also met another person, one that he had a better relationship with. His name was Death the Kid, or rather Death the Second Whittaker. Mr. Whittaker, his father, was a tall, thin man with a gaunt face, black eyes that resembled two coals, and pale skin. Kid, as he was called, resembled his father in his height and thinness, but his skin had a healthier tone to it. Youth had his face more filled out, and his eyes resembled the shining, yellowed amber. However, the most conspicuous figure on his personage, were the few thick white stripes in his short cut black hair. According to Soul's conversations with him, as a young boy, Kid was playing with some chemicals used for cleaning, and coincidentally, when the chemicals were spilled upon his head, they created a few thick stripes in his hair. This drove Kid insane because he had a horrible aversion to asymmetry.

The more Soul shared words with Kid, the more he shared laughter, I felt as if I were growing farther and farther away from my owner. Though I could talk with my fellow toys, I could never talk to the one I felt I knew the most. And as he grew older, the larger the chasm between us grew. I long for those days that he always held me to his chest, but I know it cannot be.

Then even though I know this very well, why can I not accept it?


	7. Chapter 7: Cigarette and a Familiar Face

Sitting on the bed, Kid and Soul were smoking of the cigarettes that Soul sneaked away from his father. Smoke filled the room as the boys breathed it out.

"So," Kid began. "Let me clarify what's going on. Your parents set up a marriage with you and Medusa Owens?"

"Yeah," Soul spat bitterly. "Out of all the women with great family assets in London, they choose this one."

Kid chuckled, "Well, you'll have plenty of time to get to know one another. Maybe it won't be so bad, forcefully getting married off."

Rolling his eyes, Soul shoved Kid. "Shut up!"

Kid laughed and then suddenly froze, muttering incoherently under his breath. Just as Soul was about to ask, the young man moaned loudly, "My curtains. Oh God, I drew only one curtain closed, and I forgot about the other one."

"Ugh, you're so weird. Quiet down! My parents are going to hear your sobbing, and they'll want to come up," Soul complained as he took another drag of his cigarette.

"Soul, this is going to bug me. I need to go home," Kid moaned.

His eyes widened. "What? You're going to leave me with my parents and the other fat cats in my house?"

"I must go! You can come with me," Kid offered, jumping off the bed and opening the window. "Let's go."

Soul rolled his eyes again and said, "Fine." Coming in my direction, Soul jumped on the window sill and hopped into the bushes.

After a spell of silence, Black Star said, "If we had lungs, don't you think we would die from all this smoke."

"He really should watch his health," Tsubaki chipped in. "This stuff is bad for a human, you know."

"I agree," I said.

But then I began to see a figure amidst all of the smoke.

"Wait," I began to say. "Do all of you see someone?"

Liz and Patty looked in the direction I was paying attention to and replied, "Yeah…"

"It's a ghost!" Black Star yelled, standing at attention. Suddenly becoming terrified, Tsubaki shrieked.

A new voice entered the room. "Calm down, everyone. I'm not a ghost." And the figure emerged from the smoke.

A lady dressed in white robes and fitted with feathery white wings walked through the smoke and towards us. Breathtakingly, she was a beauty. Her fair skin looked flawless, and her wavy blonde hair framed her face. Like jewels, her emerald green eyes shimmered. Smiling, she stepped towards me and picked me up, cradling me in her arms. However, against her breast, I felt no heartbeat.

I looked up at her and asked with a bit of fear in my eyes, "Who are you?"

Smiling, she said, "I am a mere angel of sorts with a mission on my hands."

"What kind of answer is that, lady?!" Black Star called out.

"Black Star!" Tsubaki scolded. However, even the ballerina had some sort skepticism.

Liz remained alert and even Patty stood her ground.

But the lady claiming to be an angel ignored them and asked me, "What would you say if I had a way to make you a human?"

Like a lightning bolt, all of us were struck with a shocking silence. Without any more hesitation, I was the first to break the quiet. "If you really did have a way to make me human, I would ask if you could grant me it."

The lady smiled once more and said, "That is why I am here." Carefully putting me down on my window sill, she explained, "When a toy is made, a soul within the toy is born. You are born of the love that your toy maker had for you." She paused, taking the time to caress my cheek. "But there comes a time when an owner outgrows his playthings. Maka, you have a choice: would you become a human and start a new life or would you stay a doll and live the way you always have?"

I thought for a moment and asked, "Why are you granting me what I want? This is something extraordinary, is it not?"

She laughed, "Indeed. However, I have been watching you, Maka, and I want to give you this…present, I could say."

After another silence, I said, "Then make me human." But just as the angel could say something else, I quickly said, "And also the other toys here, please." Looking back at them, I watched their stunned faces.

Stunned for a moment, the angel replied, "I suppose that's all right. Here we go."

A blinding flash filled the room. Unbelievably, it may have been less than a second. The next moment, the lady was gone, and I could feel warmth fill my whole body.

"Ow," I heard Black Star say. "Wait… Wait, I'm human! Look!"

When I lifted my head, the former dog was looking himself all over in Soul's mirror. As I looked around, I took note of what everyone looked like. Black Star had shocking light blue hair and a star print on his shoulder. Tsubaki had a long jet black ponytail, and the former rag dolls were now twins with blonde hair and blue eyes, one being shorter and more voluptuous and the other being taller.

And when I looked at myself in the mirror, I almost looked like my former body. Emerald green eyes and faded blonde hair. It didn't help that I was still wearing my doll clothes like everyone else.

My appearance reminded me of the lady that granted me my wish, but even though her presence was here only seconds ago, my memory of her had already started to fade away.


	8. Chapter 8: Shelter and a Wooden Door

Throughout the night, the former toys and I wandered the streets for a place to stay. We didn't know what else to do, but we decided that we couldn't stay in the Evans mansion any longer. If Soul or any of the servants found us, we would be tossed out on the street, so it would senseless to try. During our whole afternoon of searching, we had so many doors closed on our faces. Our appearances must have been part of the reason why we were turned away. Tsubaki still wore her ballerina outfit, Liz and Patty still had their matching jumper dresses on, and I never took off the red dress that Soul gave me. Since the dog that he was had no clothing, Black Star was given the tutu off of Tsubaki's outfit.

It happened when the moon lit our way in its fullness. All of a sudden, as the group and I turned a certain corner for the fourth or fifth time, a tall man grabbed me into an alley way. I shrieked into his hand.

"Shhh! Shhh! People are going to come!" the man hissed. His body was built tough and thick with muscles, so any hope of escape had become futile. The man's height towered over my tiny stature, so just before I totally thought I was a goner, my friends had luckily noticed my captor.

"Hey!" Black Star yelled. "What are you doing with Maka?"

Tsubaki joined in, "Yeah! Let go of Maka, you-you-"

"Creep!" Liz finished.

"Yeah!" Patty cheered her friends on.

"Let me repeat myself: hush!" the man roared. Then, realizing his sudden eruption, he paused. "I am trying to help." Before Liz almost interjected, he raised his hand. "The doctor told me to."

I freed my mouth from his grasp. "Who's the doctor?"

The man took another pause and then replied, "Come with me and whatever questions you have, I am sure he will answer them. If you come with me, the doctor will give you a place to take shelter in."

"You better be right," Liz grumbled. "Double-cross us and hurt Maka, then I'll have no problem kicking you over and back all the way to Queen Victoria.

Venturing farther into the alley that the man held me hostage, we came to a curious, polished wooden door with a brass knob. The man turned the knob and opened the way to a simple workshop. There were several wooden desks lining up the wall, and curiously, sewing machines sat on the desks. Even more curiously, there appeared to be several kinds of dolls and toys laying on the floor, sitting on the desks, sitting on the shelves on the walls, and sticking out of the drawers. Perhaps it was a doll maker's workshop, and the number of questions I had increased. Then I paid attention to the far end of the room where a different man sat hunched over something.

The different man suddenly spoke, not even turning around. "Sid? Did you do as I told you to?"

"Yes, sir," our guide replied. "They're all here, the five of 'em."

At that, the other man spun around on his wooden stool to face us. I gasped at his appearance. Stitches ran all over his body as if he were made of fabric, and a giant screw bolt ran through his head. He donned a white lab coat riddled with stitches and large round glasses, and messy faded light brown hair topped his head. "Five?"

"Wh-who are you?" I interrupted their conversation.

Then this man turned his attention towards me and smiled. "You are lovelier than I last saw you."

All of a sudden, it felt as if a searing pain gashed my head. "A…ah…" Confused, I held my head.

Tsubaki took notice of my pain. "Maka? Maka! What's wrong?" She came to my aid and held me up.

A series of memories that I didn't know I had flooded my mind, and I screamed at the sudden overload of images.

I blacked out.


	9. Chapter 9: Answers and the Dreaded Fire

When I had come to, I found myself lying in a cot. A cold sweat covered my skin, and I was breathing heavily. As I became more in tune with my surroundings, the vision of my friends and the man with the screw hanging over me became clear.

"Maka?" Tsubaki called out to me. "Are you okay?"

"Mmm…" I moaned a bit as I rose up from the cot, but the one who caught my attention first was not Tsubaki but the one who appeared to be stitched up like pieces of cloth. First, I turned him and said, "Why did I see you?" When he just showed me a bit of a confused expression and gave me no response, I raised my voice. "Why did I see you in my mind?"

Putting her hand on my shoulder, Liz said calmly with a worried look, "Calm down, Maka."

The man only smiled and told me gently, "Maka, is it now? I'm surprised that you don't remember me."

I kept my guard up. "Who are you?"

He put his cold hand over mine. "I'm the one who made you."

My new beating heart stopped. The one who made me?

"I am a doll maker, and you are one of my creations. One of the ones that I am very proud of, actually." Looking down at my hand, he rubbed his thumb over my hand. My hands were so tiny compared to his. "Even as a human, you are beautiful."

But a single thought rang out in my head. "Why did you abandon me?"

The man paused. I thought I saw a shocked and horrified expression cross his face, but what I must have seen was replaced with a sad smile. "It was not I who left you." Patting my head, he ran his fingers through my pigtails. "Since you do not remember me, let me introduce myself: I am Dr. Stein."

I had every reason in the world to doubt him, but for some reason, I trusted this "Dr. Stein." Though he was my doll maker and could have very well abandoned me, he seemed so genuine.

"Uh, hey," Black Star piped up. "Doc, if ya don't mind, could you lend me something to wear? This tutu doesn't really complement my great physique."

Dr. Stein chuckled, "What interesting friends you have brought along, Maka. Sure, I can lend you something, but I don't think we'll share the same sizes."

"Anything's better than this pink embarrassment."

As he led us to another room, Dr. Stein opened the way to four prepared beds. They weren't anything compared to Soul's king-sized bed, but it was a place to rest in.

"These are your beds, and if you need me, I'll be in my workshop or in the last room at the end of the hall," Dr. Stein instructed.

Before he turned to leave us, I called after him, "Wait! Dr. Stein!"

He turned back to us and replied, "Yes?"

"I still have some unanswered questions. First off, why are we…like this?"

The doctor kept quiet for a bit and then sighed. "I suppose I have several explanations to give. Sit on your beds, kids, and I'll tell you some stories." When we had gotten situated in our beds, he sat down on the edge of my bed, which was next to the door on its right.

"The first thing you have to know," he began, "is that when a toy is made, it is given a soul, whether the toymaker knows it or not. Now, what has happened, really, is that a higher entity than that of humans has elevated you from inanimate beings to animate beings."

"So this higher enti-whatever was an angel?" Patty was trying really to put the pieces together.

"Yes."

"So, I have another question. No, wait, two. Why did that angel do this? And who abandoned me?" I demanded.

Dr. Stein smiled slightly. "For those two questions, you must ask the angel yourself."

And just as he was getting up again to leave, Liz stopped him. "Wait! So, are you really a doctor, or are you a doll maker?"

He tossed back his head and grinned. "What's the difference between the professions? They're both life givers."

* * *

When Soul had gotten back from enjoying Kid's company, he made a terrible discovery: his old toys were gone from his windowsill. At first, he was stunned but soon began scrambling for his possessions. He began checking his drawers, his closet, and anywhere else he could think of.

"Oh, geez. Where'd they go?!" Soul panicked.

Then thoughts began crossing his mind.

_I'm sure it was Medusa. She always made fun of me for them, and she probably doesn't her husband playing with toys. Or, wait… If it had to be anyone…_

Soul stormed off toward his father's study. Coming to the doors, he burst open and yelled, "Father!"

James Evans looked up from his papers and tipped his reading glasses so that he could see his son. "Yes, Soul, I'm a bit busy…"

Angered, Soul stomped over to his father. "You… What did you do with my old toys?"

His father sighed and groaned. "Ugh, those dusty things? You know I have no love for them, but I-"

"So it was you!"

"Huh?" the older man said, confused.

"Give them back, you bastard!"

"Soul!" His father raised his voice, rising from his chair. "You will address me with no such language! I did nothing to your playthings!"

"Like hell you didn't! They were gone when I-" Before Soul was about to reveal where he had gone, he stammered, "I-I came back from the W.C."

"Well, they're gone and I had no hand in it." Then he muttered, "Anyway, thank goodness…"

Hearing that last part, Soul yelled, "Screw you, you old coot!" And with that, Soul rushed out of the room.

"Hey! Get back here!"

Passing his mom, he ran quickly to the furnace to save his childhood things, but to him, it appeared he arrived too late. The bins were empty, and the fire burned warmly and crackled in front of the despondent teenager. At this, he broke down and sobbed.

Those playthings were full of the only wonderful memories in his childhood; they were a reminder of the seldom happy days he had. They didn't remind him of when his father used him to garner fame for the Evans family. They didn't remind him of the arduous, endless piano practices he was forced into.

They didn't remind him of when his father tossed him aside to focus on his better son.

And there was Maka. No, he hadn't forgotten her name and their first meeting. It was as if the doll enchanted him into bringing it home. Something about the doll felt so inviting and alive to him.

And now she burned brightly in the scorching flames.

Like the night of his recital with Maka, he cried to no end.


	10. Chapter 10: A New Life and a Reunion

A week and a half passed while the rest of the former toys and I stayed at Dr. Stein's house. Some nights, the bigger man whose name I soon learned was Sid dropped by and ate dinner with us. He claimed that the reason why he didn't stay with us for long was because he had errands to attend to. Whenever we tried to pester him about what he did during the day, he sighed and told us, "I always believe that every man is entitled to having secrets. This is the kind of man I am." As for Dr. Stein, we could always find him whittling away on some wooden figurines or grooming the hair of the ceramic dolls at his workshop desk.

It might have seemed like a boring household life, but life was never quiet with the boisterous Black Star along with his partner in crime, Patty. Still, Tsubaki, with her calm and tranquil demeanor, stopped the hyper blue-haired boy and the shorter Thompson sister whenever they made things too crazy for us to handle. Of course, we didn't stay cooped up in the house all the time. Sometimes, Dr. Stein gave us errands like making toy deliveries or running to the market for food. Then, whenever all of us had dinner with Dr. Stein and sometimes Sid, we had lively dinner conversations and wonderful food. However, this was the first time I have ever had food, so the experience itself must have tasted incredible.

I also strengthened my friendship with Liz. We had never really talked before, but there was one topic she often touched upon: boys and love.

"So, Maka?" Liz started as she brushed her hair. Brushing her hair and tending to hygienic needs have interested her lately.

"Yes?" I was sprawled out over my bed, reading a book I just bought with Dr. Stein.

"Maka, I know this is kind of strange to ask, but do you have anyone you like?"

At that, my face flared all shades of red. Of course, one name instantly came to mind. _Soul._ But quickly, I shook my head of the thought. "N-not particularly…"

However, Liz was not going to give up easily. "Oh? Then why are you blushing?"

"I-I am not!"

The taller girl faced me and grinned mischievously. "I'm just going to spit out random names until you tell me."

I protested, "I told you, I don't-"

"The boy at the fruit stand."

"That's not even a name!"

"Black Star."

"Gross!" I rejected.

"Soul?"

Suddenly, I paused and looked down, flustered. Finally getting the reaction out of me she wanted, Liz giggled, "You DO like someone! But why him? Sure, he was nice and cute as a kid, but now he's a grump. And he's got these pointy teeth… Isn't that going to make kissing hard?"

At the thought of kissing Soul, I flared up even more and found myself pressing my face against a pillow. "Well," I said with a muffled voice, "Do you like anyone?"

Liz blushed a slight pink and replied, "Y-yeah. I like the boy working at the fruit stand. Glad you don't like him, too." She laughed a little, but somehow I could tell that she was lying. Then I began to wonder who _she_ liked, but I decided to play along with her lie.

After that conversation, my mind kept on going back to Soul. It seemed like an eternity that I hadn't seen his messy white hair, curiously crimson eyes, and sharp teeth. Soon, on my days out of the workshop, I subconsciously went out of my way to pass by the Evans household. I had never really paid attention to the exterior of the mansion, so now that I could see it up close, I began to understand the extravagance of it. The mansion was held up with white walls, and the windows had open black shutters. A grand, blackened wooden door with lion handles loomed over the long marble porches.

On one night, during my way home alone from the bookstore, I decided to touch the metal bars separating the Evans residence from the rest of the world. This is the only thing separating me from him, I began to think. No, I countered. You're just so different from him. Look at the scratchy clothes you wear, all stitched up in a hasty fashion. And I was about to let go of the bars. Along with the bars, I had just decided to have the resolve to let go of my shameful love of my former owner.

Then, a throaty voice came up near me. "Hey, my father is going to call the police if he finds out you've been coming here a lot." When I looked in the voice's direction, I nearly gasped.

"Hey, you hear me?" Soul called out as he came closer.

For some reason, the shock of seeing him had all of the strength in my legs leave me. I slumped down on the floor and stammered, "I-I-I'm sorry…"

"Hey! You all right?" the boy called as he came to my side and began to help me up.

Then his eyes met mine. My breath caught in my throat, and as it did, I thought I saw a flicker in his look. Did he recognize me? I wondered. But he let me go as soon as I stood steady.

A moment of silence passed us by until I spoke up hesitantly, "You know I've been coming here?"

He laughed, "You're not exactly subtle about it. When you were holding onto the bars just now, I thought for a second that you were going to climb over it."

I laughed, too, to my surprise and said, "If you think I'm being such a creep, shouldn't I be with the police by now?"

Then, Soul had a serious but shy expression. "You should be," he said quietly. "But in some strange way, you've caught my attention." He looked up with embarrassment clear in his face.

Blushing a bit, I looked away and stuttered, "I see…"

"I'm Soul," he said bluntly. "What's your name?"

"I'm Ma-" I began but quickly stopped. "I'm… Mary."

Soul smiled. "Mary… Kind of a lame name."

Now that just irked "Mary," so I impulsively chopped him in the head.

"Ow!" Soul whined.

"No manners, even up to now," I huffed.

Soul looked up at her with a pained expression. "What?"

Catching herself again, I said, "O-oh, nothing! And, uh, sorry…"

"Yeah, okay… So, Mary," Soul said with a grin. "If you don't want me to rat you out to my father, you should probably come meet me again."

My heart fluttered in my chest. "Y-yeah?"

"Yeah," Soul replied as he began to unlock the door. "Meet me in the park. You know where that is, right? Two streets over and up from the marketplace." I could only nod as he walked onto his property and put up the metal barrier between us. "See ya, Mary."

When he was out of sight, I whispered quietly, "Bye, Soul."

Quickly, I rushed home from the Evans mansion and ran down the familiar alleyway. When Black Star opened the door and found me out of breath, he nearly panicked.

"Maka! Do you need water? What happened?" Black Star fired off questions at me as he prepared a glass of water for me to drink.

Liz made her way over to me. "Hey, I heard something was going on. What happened?"

I laughed at seeing her and said, "Liz, I saw Soul."


	11. Chapter 11: Date and A Simple Red Dress

"You what?" Liz exclaimed.

"Whoa!" Black Star handed me the glass of water with a look of amazement. "How'd that happen? And what happened?"

Gulping down the water, I sighed with relief. "Thank you, Black Star. All that running wore me out."

"So what happened?" Liz persisted.

And so I recounted the events that transpired in front of the Evans mansion. Though I was embarrassed, I even explained how I passed by and gazed at the residence whenever I had the chance to. Describing our sudden encounter, I smiled at the memory. Of course, I never called his invitation a date.

"Now I'm supposed to meet him tomorrow," I said quietly.

Letting out a squeal, Liz hugged me and replied, "That's wonderful, Maka! I'm so happy for you!"

Black Star cocked an eyebrow. "A little over-excited, aren't we… Well, anyway, that's great. When you see him tomorrow, you should tell him we all said hi." He grinned goofily.

Suddenly, Liz turned to him sharply and hissed, "Are you an moron, Black Star? What is Maka supposed to say? 'Oh, and by the way, some toys that you had a while back wanted to say hi to you.' Why do you think she couldn't say her real name?"

"Well, geez," he muttered. "Sorry I asked."

I smiled and sat up a bit, patting his shoulder. "It's all right, Star. If I could, I would."

The boy with spiky blue hair smiled back and replied, "You're a good person, Maka. I'm gonna head off now. Tsubaki and Patty are already sleeping."

When he left the room, Liz looked at me and said with a smile, "I think he just invited you to a date."

I blushed. "I-I don't think I can go."

"What? Why?"

"Liz, what if I slip up and tell him what I really am?" I began to blurt all of my worries and insecurities. "When I do, will he look at me strangely and leave me? Liz, we are from two totally different worlds, even now that I'm a human. He's from the distinguished Evans family, and I'm just a girl living it out in a doll workshop." Dejected, I looked down with tears in my eyes.

Then, I felt warm hands on my shoulders. I looked up and saw Liz's headstrong, serious face. "Maka, you're right. He will leave you."

Those words pierced my heart like a nail through wood. However, the next words were the hammer to remove the nail.

"He will leave you if you keep that attitude up. You need to keep your chin up and believe that you deserve anything. Maka, you are a smart, strong woman, although you are a bit clueless and timid sometimes, but your faults are okay to have. And with the what-ifs... You'll never know if you never try." Liz grinned.

Smiling, I blushed at her words. "Liz, I didn't know you could be so…eloquent."

She rolled her eyes at me. "No, Maka. I'm just trying to state the obvious for you, even though you should already know it."

The next day, after much contemplating, I decided to accept Soul's invitation. Throughout the night before, I tossed and turned in my sheets, squirming with anticipation. Yes, my concerns still hung over my head, but my resolve to try and meet him became stronger. I pulled on my scruffy, brown shoes and tied up the worn-out laces. Everyone else was still asleep, so I bid only the doctor good-bye, which he replied to with a grunt. As usual, he was hunched over a new doll. Closing the door behind me, I dashed out of the alleyway. Excitement had my fingers and toes tingling and my heart beating like a drum.

After taking many turns and asking people for directions, I finally made it to the park that Soul was talking about. At least, I hoped it was the right park. However, my worries left me when I saw a boy with spiky white hair sitting on the fountain's edge. He was wearing a white collar button-up shirt that was tucked out of his pants and dark brown slacks. Black suspenders fell to his sides, no longer being held up by his shoulders, and he had on slick, dark brown wingtip shoes. Gulping down my anxieties and apprehensions, I walked towards him.

Soul's attention turned to me and smirked. "You're late."

At his expression, my nervousness began to ebb away. A smirk formed on my face as well as I replied, "I don't remember you giving me an exact time, Mr. Soul."

He smiled and got up from his seat. Even as a human, Soul was still taller than me by, perhaps, two feet, so he towered over me. "Oh? I guess that's my bad, Miss Mary."

"Who?" I smiled blissfully.

Soul raised his brow.

"O-oh!" I caught on. "Yeah, that's me!" That was such a stupid move, I thought to myself.

But Soul laughed, "Are you just swept off your feet by me?"

I rolled my eyes. "You're so cocky. Well, I thought I'd let you know that your directions were quite cryptic." I smiled at him.

Then, Soul rolled his eyes and smirked. "Maybe you just have difficulty with directions."

I laughed, "Look, we can spend the whole day going back and forth about this, or we can have a greater time going about the town."

"Is that what you wanted to do?"

I asked, "Did you have something else in mind?"

He smiled. "Just the very same thing."

And so, for a large portion of the day, we spent our time walking the streets. To put my emotions in simpler words, it was the most fantastic moment of my life. I felt even closer to Soul than I did when he held me close as a doll. We ate together, talked together, and laughed together. When we went into the shops, Soul joked around by putting on the ladies' hats and making jokes about the tight corsets that looked like they could make a woman spill her guts. Although I laughed, I also scolded him for causing a ruckus in the stores. However, when we walked into a women's clothing store, I questioned him.

"Soul, why are we here?" I asked. "Don't you want to go to a store with a men's selection as well?"

Sighing, he replied, "But we're not here for me." Soul looked back and smiled. "Pick out something you like, Mary."

I gasped and began to protest. "S-Soul! This shop looks really expensive, and anyway, I can't allow you to pay for me!"

"Shush and pick out something." It looked as if Soul wouldn't budge.

"Well," I began, blushing. "Will you help me pick out something at least?"

At that, even Soul blushed, which was the first time I saw him blush today. "Sure…"

We began sifting through the dresses. The silence between us as we focused on searching was nerve-racking. Soul stood beside me, moving along as I moved along.

"Ah." He was the first to speak up. Pulling out a dress, he said quietly, "How's this one?"

Gazing upon the dress, I remained stunned. The dress was made in a straight cut, meaning that the upper body of the dress would fall snugly on my waist and the skirt would fall straight down instead of ballooning like the dresses made these days. The waistline was wrapped with a sewn-in black ribbon, and the bow itself rested on the front-right side of the dress. The upper body, which had sleeves reaching up to my elbows, was made of a plain but strong fabric that was a slightly lighter red than the ribbon. However, the part that I loved the most was the skirt. It was the same color as the upper body of the dress except that the skirt consisted of a underskirt and layered skirts of red lace.

Once I found my breath to speak, I protested once again. "Soul, I refuse. I'm sorry but I can't accept this. I-it's too much-"

When his eyes found mine, I became quiet. "Mary, please. I will pay for it, and I-I think it will look good on you. Try it on." The blush remained fixed on his cheeks, and his stammering gave away his nervousness.

Reluctantly, I took the dress and shuffled into the fitting room. After a few minutes, I called out to him, "Soul, I can't. I'm sorry but I can't come outside. I'll change and be out in a minute-"

But my words became lost when someone suddenly opened the door to my fitting room. An impatient Soul stomped in.

"Sir! Wait! You can't go in there," an employee objected but it was useless as Soul closed the door behind him.

Too shocked to even scream, I stood rigidly like a terrified rabbit in front of a ravenous wolf. Soul stood me in front of the mirror, and both of us looked at our reflection.

"It's fine if I'm the only one that will see you, right?" Though it was dimmer in this room than outside, it was definite that Soul was blushing madly, but that was okay. I was blushing profusely as well.

"That's even more embarrassing," I murmured.

Resting his chin on my shoulder, he whispered, "You look lovely."

I closed my eyes tightly, trembling slightly. Soul wrapped his arms loosely around my waist. Then, he muttered, "Maka…"

What?


	12. Chapter 12: Confessions and the Father

Eventually, the shop owner booted us from the fitting room, and Soul paid for my dress, which I continued to wear instead of my fraying dress. From the time we left the store to the time we reached the park, no words were exchanged between us. During our quietness, worrisome thoughts ran through my mind. I wondered if, somehow, he figured out that I was his doll. If he did, what was he going to do next? Though he seemed to have become tense when we left the fitting room, Soul still walked beside me. Whatever the case, he hadn't left me.

Reaching the park, I suggested, "Shall we find a place to sit?"

"Yeah." Soul didn't look at me but began to walk towards a bench. "Would this be fine?"

When I nodded, he sat down, and I joined him. After a few more moments of silence, Soul suddenly turned to me and said, "Mary, I have something to confess."

Looking back at him, I tried to still my anxious heart. Did he really know? I managed to respond, "Yes?"

But Soul took a pause. Then he hunched over and looked at the ground, his head down and away from me. "It's no use… No matter what words I decide to put this in, it will still sound awful or even disgusting."

Concerned, I put my hand on his shoulder. "Soul, what is it? What's wrong?"

He looked up and straightened his back, turning towards me. "I had a doll when I was a child. Its name was Maka, and I absolutely adored it." He laughed a little bit with a hint of bitterness. "I even took it to one of my first recitals. It made my father mad as hell, and when the crowd didn't even clap for my performance, I felt utterly horrible and humiliated. However, when I escaped from the concert hall with my doll in my arms, a sense of comfort came to me. The only person to make me feel at peace, and that person wasn't even a person. It was a doll."

Turning away from me again, Soul looked up at the sky, which had its sky blue fading to a light orange. "The years passed, of course, and I contemplated several times to throw away the old thing. I tried to convince myself that I was too old for such a toy, and to begin with, the doll was a girl's plaything. But for some reason, I just couldn't let go of it." He closed his eyes. "The doll had enchanted me. It was an inanimate object, but to me, it was so much more." Opening his eyes, Soul looked back down at the ground. "A few days ago, I noticed that it, along with my other toys, were gone from my windowsill. When I was a child, my father told me to throw the doll in the furnace, saying that I had no need for such frivolities, so I immediately suspected him. He denied having to do anything with it, though, but I ran to the furnace…"

Soul trailed off, and as he did, his eyes began to water. However, he refused to shed tears in front of me. "She was gone. As simple as that."

Then, as if Soul remembered that I was sitting next to him, he looked at me in surprise. "Oh… I'm sorry, I… I probably told you more than you needed to know." He gave a hollow laugh. "Anyway, Mary… When I first saw you, you reminded me so much of Maka, and when you wore that red dress, you looked so much like her." Shaking his head, he said, "I know. I'm horrible. It's probably more disgusting than horrible, actually."

Throughout his whole explanation, I sat there, stunned and quiet. I didn't know how to respond or what to do. After all this time, as I had gathered dust on his windowsill, he still cared for me. My eyes began to water.

Noticing my impending tears, Soul flinched. "Mary, I'm sorry. I know, I know. But Mary, our day today was wonderful. You're an…an amazing person. It's been such a long time that I've had this much fun." He began to blush. "If you aren't too repulsed, I-I'd like to see you again. I know it's stupid, but please let me see you again. Not as Maka, but as you, Mary."

I wiped my eyes and laughed. "Yes, let's see each other again."

At first Soul sat there in surprise, but he began to smile, showing off his sharp teeth. "Thank you," he replied. Hesitantly, he moved towards me and embraced me. "You're wonderful, Mary."

But a voice soon sounded in mind. _You will have to tell him soon, Maka._ At hearing that, my shoulders slumped a bit.

When Soul let go of me, he was blushing a bit. "I don't know why, but I feel so comfortable with you. It's as if I…I've known you for a long time. I know that sounds odd." Clearing his throat, Soul stood up. "A-anyway! Let me walk you home. The sun's already setting."

Without thinking about it, I blurted, "Sure." I know I should have declined, what with Liz, Tsubaki, Patty, and Black Star at home.

A gentle smile spread across the boy's face as he extended his hand toward me. I smiled back and took it. I gave him directions, but since I had trouble coming to the park in the first place, we made circles and passed the same streets several times before coming upon the alleyway.

"You are really bad with directions, you know that?" Soul panted.

"It's…it's not my fault that the directions you gave me were bad to begin with!" I panted.

Then he smirked. "Okay, then, Tiny Tits. I'll just have to give you better directions next time."

In response, I impulsively chopped him in the head. "Don't call me that!"

Soul yowled and rubbed the top of his head. "Do you have some sort of violent streak or something?"

"Hmph. You shouldn't have called me Tiny Tits." I crossed my arms.

Sighing, Soul replaced his scowl with a small smile. "Well, here we are." He looked around the alley, which was littered with garbage and crawling with rats and stray cats. "Isn't this a kind of shady place to live in?"

I rolled my eyes. "Don't judge a book by its cover." As I was about to open the door, I looked back at him. "Would you…like to come in?"

"Oh," Soul said as he scratched his head. "Um, sure. If it's fine with your parents, I mean."

I nodded, opening the door. I could only hope that my friends were in our room, asleep, or at least not in the workshop. When the door was open, the sight of hanging mannequins and sitting dolls became open to Soul. Thankfully, Dr. Stein was not at his desk for once. In wonderment, Soul took his first step into the workshop, taking in what he was seeing.

"M-my father is a doll maker," I explained.

"This is amazing, Mary," he murmured. His curious eyes reminded me of the actual first time that we met.

"Yes, I'm very proud of my father."

But suddenly, as Soul was reaching to touch one of the stuffed animals, we heard a voice. "Don't touch that, sir."

We turned to the voice, and I gasped. "D-Dr. Stein!"

Soul turned to me and asked, "Who?"

"Ah!" Realizing my mistake, I replied hastily, "That's my father. I call him Dr. Stein out of habit." Laughing nervously, I could only hope that the doctor would play along with my lie.

Cocking an eyebrow, Dr. Stein said slowly, "Yes, I'm…her father." Behind Soul's field of vision, I mouthed out my "name." The doctor cleared his throat and assumed his new role. "So, Mary, did you enjoy your time with Mr…?"

"Soul, father. His name is Soul." I gave him a knowing smile to let him know of my thanks.

Then, Dr. Stein smiled back, but something was hidden in his smile. It seemed to be realization or familiarity, both of the possible elements inspiring curiosity in me. "I see. So this is the Soul that I've been hearing all about." Walking over to Soul, he grabbed his hands and placed his own on them. "I'm trusting that you will take good care of my daughter."

Both Soul and I turned beet red, and we began to speak at the same time in a flustered tone:

"Father!"

"I-It's not like that, but okay!"

The doctor just smiled and released Soul's hands. "All right, Mr. Evans. Now, I'll have to ask you to leave because the rest of my…children are sound asleep."

But Soul's eyes widened a bit. "Hold on, how did you know my last name?"

"Ah," Dr. Stein said. "Mary told me." Walking away from us, Dr. Stein stopped at the doorway to the hallway that led to our bedrooms. "Good night, Mr. Evans."

The white-haired boy looked at me with surprise. "Did you know my last name?"

"I-I saw a nameplate next to the mansion's gate."

With skepticism, Soul nodded. As I led him to the door and we bid each other good night, I closed the door and leaned against it. I sighed.

"I can't believe Dr. Stein told him that I had been talking about him. I never said a single thing about Soul to him," I muttered. Then my eyes widened. "Wait, if that's the case, how _did _the doctor even know about his last name?"


	13. Chapter 13: True Identity and Secrets

I didn't see Soul for the next week and few days to come, but I'm sure that he was busy with his family and business affairs. As such, even though he knew where I lived now, he did not come to invite me out, and even though I knew where he lived, I decided not to bother him. However, Dr. Stein's encounter with Soul has confused me greatly. After having numerous questions tug at the corners of my mind, that night I made up my mind to approach the doll maker.

When I had entered the workshop, Dr. Stein, as always, was whittling away at his creations. I leaned against the doorway with my hand on it and said, "Dr. Stein?"

Startled, the doctor jumped, and as he looked back, he smiled a little. "Oh, Maka. What are you doing? You should be sleeping now."

I fidgeted with the skirt of nightgown, one of the new clothes that Dr. Stein gave us money for. "Dr. Stein, I have some questions for you."

"Oh? And what questions do you have for me?" he asked in a friendly tone with his elbow propped up on his work desk.

Nervously, I bunched up the skirt in my hands. "Dr. Stein, do you know Soul?"

"Well, I suppose you could say that I do," Dr. Stein replied briefly, turning away from me to continue his work.

"How so?" I pressed on.

Scratching his head, Dr. Stein crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair with a stumped look. "Hmmm, Maka, let me ask you a question." He spun around on his stool to face me. "What's with the interest in my relation to Mr. Evans?"

Why is he dancing around my inquiries? "Dr. Stein, are you hiding something?"

"Are you insinuating that I am?"

Frustration began to boil within me. Balling my hands into fists, I raised my voice at him. "Well, are you, doctor? How do you know Soul's last name?"

With a small pause, Dr. Stein merely smiled. Turning back to his work, he picked up a small paintbrush that was used to paint on doll eyes. "How do I know? Well, perhaps I just looked at the nameplate of his house, just like 'Mary.' Now, Maka, what do you think? Should this doll have green eyes or blue? My commissioner didn't give me any specifics."

My impatience had reached its peak, so I stormed over to his side. "Somehow, I don't believe that, Dr. Stein. Yes, it may be a solid alibi, but for some reason, my suspicions of you only grow. Call it a woman's intuition."

He locked eyes with me for a moment, only to close his eyes and sigh. "Maka, Soul won't be coming to get you."

The sudden statement shocked me. At a loss of words, I soon found my breath to say, "And why is that?"

Looking away from me, the doctor walked along the aisles of his workshop. He caressed the bodies of the dolls and touched their soft, synthetic locks. "Maka, this may sound hard for you to believe, but this doll shop is not an ordinary shop." Carefully, Dr. Stein picked up a stuffed bear with a loose eye and examined it. "When Soul comes here, he will find no door."

"What do you mean by that?" I took a step back from his desk, confusion and dread building inside me.

The doctor glanced at me. "It is just as I say. When he comes to this alley, there won't even be a door to open. It will be as if this place doesn't exist, and all he will see is a dirty brick wall. And, Maka, these are not mere exaggerations. Being a former doll that is now human, you should have no problem believing in this supposed sorcery."

Taking steps back, I leaned against the wall in disbelief. "But…why?" I squeezed my arms tightly. "Why is this place like this? Dr. Stein, what exactly is this place? And who are you really?" I questioned, looking at him incredulously.

Gently, Dr. Stein put the bear down and strode over to me. With a solemn expression, he said, "Should I tell you the truth now?"

The secrets that he was withholding from me had me recall an old saying I once heard: "curiosity killed the cat." Apprehension clammed up my palms, made my mouth dry, and dropped something heavy in my stomach. What could he possibly be keeping from me? In my eyes, Dr. Stein had transformed himself from a simple doll maker in a humble shop into an enigmatic man whose mysteries might have the power to change the current playing field of my lifestyle. With great hesitation, I stammered, "I…I would like it now rather than later, yes."

Giving me a nod, he motioned to his stool. "Take a seat, Maka." As I took a seat, the doctor himself walked over and leaned against one of his tables. "To start things off, I am not human. What I am cannot explained by mere words but in a vague term. Between this plane of existence, which is this world, and another plane called the afterlife is where I exist. Not a human and not what is referred to as an angel or devil, I fall in the middle. However, what I can tell you for certain is that I serve the will of the good. This world calls them angels and their leader God. Angels also serve God, the embodiment of whole goodness, so I suppose in a way, I could be called an angel as well. Still, that is not quite accurate.

"Anyway, in order to carry out my earthly duties, I have set up dwellings from which to work from for as long as I can remember, for years and even centuries. If memory serves well, I was once a carpenter, a poet, a seller of fruits… The list is endless." Dr. Stein looked away wistfully. "So many memories made and so many different lives to create for myself." Looking back to me, he continued, "Currently, I am a doll maker in London. My shop is located in an inconspicuous place because I must be discreet. If there are people who create harmony, there are those who create discord, and I do not wish to have my work interrupted by that lot."

"But if you are a doll maker, how do you maintain business if customers cannot find you?" I asked.

Dr. Stein smiled. "Those who absolutely need my services will find me."

"Then, did my friends and I find you because we needed your services?"

Lifting himself off of the table, he replied, "Well, yes. You needed a place to stay, and, ah, let's just say an angel asked a personal favor of me."

I raised my brow. "An angel? Is she involved with me?"

"She could be considered a guardian angel, I suppose."

Pensively, I stared at him. "I think you're hiding something."

Dr. Stein fished out a cigarette and a matchbox and he said, "What more could I be hiding?"

"Well, you still haven't explained how you know Soul, and furthermore, who is this angel? In what way is she related to me?" Suddenly, my eyes widened in realization. "Is she the one who brought me and the other toys to life?" I saw Dr. Stein's eyes flicker in response. "Yes! I had a feeling!" Walking over to him, I looked up at him with determination. "Doctor, I don't think an angel protects a toy just for the sake of being a guardian. There is a reason. There has to be! Doctor, what are you hiding from me?"

But Dr. Stein only moved away from me and walked past me, lighting up his cigarette and taking a drag. Glancing back, he said, "I revealed what I have the permission to reveal to you. What else you can know is the decision of another person. However, you don't have to worry. In some time, you will learn what else has been kept in the dark."

I listened to the doctor's footsteps as he walked out of the room and down the hallway, and with a soft click, his bedroom door shut. Only a fraction of my curiosities have been satisfied, but many more have risen. Frustration and inquisitiveness swirled within me, but at the core grew anger. Soul must have been trying to come into contact with me, but he couldn't even find where I lived.

It was on impulse. Gathering myself, I rushed to the door and flung it open, plunging myself into the dark night. I don't know what had gotten into me, but I wanted to see him. I was so confused, so frustrated, and so…wanting to escape from this newfound, incredible reality. I wanted to return to that day when he and I enjoyed walking together and sitting together in the park. He was probably asleep, but I could at least visit his house and pretend I was with him. After running through the quiet marketplace and passing some streets, I finally reached the Evans residence. Panting, I leaned against a brick wall that was a little distance away from the gate.

"Mary?"

I jumped at the sudden voice and looked in its direction. "Soul?"

Walking towards me was indeed Soul in a white button up shirt with too many buttons undone and dirty light brown slacks. "What are you doing here?"

"Soul, I…" I had trouble finding the words to tell him, but I said, "It might seem a little mad, but I wanted to see you. Why are you out here?"

Surprised, he chuckled and replied, "Sometimes I sneak out and go to have a good time. It's better than staying cooped up in that box of a house." But then Soul put on a straight face. "Mary, I'm sorry that I haven't met with you in a while. I tried to-"

"I know," I interrupted. "M-my place is in a hard place to remember."

"Damn right it is," he huffed but then he smiled. "I wanted to ask you something."

My insides fluttered at his sudden smile. "Yes?"

Soul scratched his head and blushed slightly. "My friend's parents are hosting a party, and these kinds of things are always so stiff and dull. So, I was hoping you could come and make things not so dull?" At the last part, his voice became small and he looked away.

Watching Soul become shy, I smiled and laughed a little. "Sure, I can make some arrangements to make that happen."

He smiled back and looked at me. "Definitely make it happen, Miss Mary."

After he gave me the time and date of the party, the address, and the dress code, he waved me goodbye and told me that he had to be quick about returning to his room; otherwise, his father would murder him. I watched as he climbed a nearby tree and hopped over the wall. On my journey back home, which was quick since I didn't want to be caught by some shady characters, I filled my head with exciting thoughts of the party. The best part of thinking about the party was that I didn't have to think about the absurd conversation that I had with Dr. Stein. Perhaps I should not have been so curious.


	14. Author's Note 1

Hello, everyone!

First off, I'd like to apologize for not posting a chapter in nearly a month. As for the reason, I would like to use the old-fashioned excuse, "life." School started up over here, social life has resumed, and, well, life just happened.

I have been getting messages about when I will post, and unfortunately, I will have to say that I cannot have a set-in-stone posting schedule. However, my goal for now will be to post every two weeks. Hopefully, I will live up to that. That being said, I am saying now that Chapter 14 will be posted on **Wenesday, March 6, 2013**. This author's note will be edited if the date will be changed.

Another announcement! I will be making major edits to Chapters 1-13, and at the beginning, I will post a song complimenting the chapter. Perhaps I will even throw in a verse.

From now on, at the beginning of each chapter, I will write about when I will post the next chapter, what incoming conflicts will prevent me from posting, and what comments I have to say about the chapter.

All right, I think that's it. Until Chapter 14, please check back every now and again on this author's note to see any changes to my plan. Despite my lack of updating, thank you for your support!

NoiseDrifter

LATEST EDIT: 2/20/13


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